


Taylor

by AceLotti



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Kidfic, M/M, Magic, Uncle!Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-09
Updated: 2013-02-16
Packaged: 2017-11-18 07:17:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/558318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceLotti/pseuds/AceLotti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Derek’s nephew gets dropped off on his front porch one Saturday morning, Derek realizes his life is never going to actually fit into the category of normal. But when a local witch has bounty on the poor kid’s head, and isn’t afraid to hurt innocent people in the process, Derek realizes normal is really just a fantasy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Which Derek Will Never Have a Normal Saturday

Derek wondered if he’s ever had a normal day in his entire life. As he sat in the half done kitchen, fiddling with a broken pipe that was supposed to connect the sink to the garbage disposal, he thought that even fixing up the house that he once lived in as a kid didn’t even count as normal. 

“Derek!” One of the abnormal things probably had to be the amount of teenagers living in his house with him right now. “Derek!!”

“What Erica!” Derek growled through his teeth, hoping for her sake she wasn’t complaining about water pressure in the shower again or something equally as feminine. 

“There’s a car pulling up in the driveway,” she said from the doorway. “And for once it isn’t Stiles,” she smiled. It was a running joke that the only visitor they had was Stiles in his stupid blue Jeep. 

“What do they want?” Derek asked. Erica shrugged and Derek rolled his eyes, putting the pipe down and wiping his hands on his jeans as he made his way to the front of the house. He peered out the window as a beaten down red Mustang drove up the dirt path and parked in front of the house. Derek took in a deep breath, whoever it was, they weren’t a werewolf, but that didn’t mean they weren’t a hunter. 

He felt Isaac peaking over his shoulder curiously. “Go into the kitchen,” Derek said. “Take Erica and Boyd with you.” Isaac huffed but did as he was told, and Derek could hear Erica whining about wanting to help as the boys dragged her to the kitchen. 

By the time Derek looked back, the Mustang had been parked and the person driving was at the door. On his guard, Derek opened the door at the sound of a knock. Hunters didn’t normally knock. 

“Yes?” Derek scowled. The man at the door was probably around his age, but he was a lot more clean cut then Derek. He stood there with his hair slicked back and in a shirt and tie, nice slacks and shined shoes. But Derek was more curious about what the man had with him, rather than how he presented himself. At his feet was a heavy looking blue bag, and next to that was a carrier with a sleeping baby in it. 

“Are you Derek Hale?” the man asked. Derek raised his eyebrow and nodded. “I’m Philip Lawson.”

“Uh huh,” Derek said, his eyes flickering to the baby again. Hunters didn’t normally bring babies if they were about to attack, and from behind the door, his claws retracted. 

“I um...” He looked around the house from over Derek’s shoulder. “I am...I was Laura’s boyfriend.” Derek looked back to Philip. He couldn’t remember Laura talking about a boyfriend, but they had spent a year apart before she’d gone and gotten herself killed. “I just found out she died, actually.”

“Sorry,” Derek said. “I didn’t know she had a boyfriend, or I would have let you know.”

“I had a feeling...” Philip said. He took a deep breath. “Look, I can’t stay long. I...I knew about Laura’s...predicament,” Derek huffed a short laugh. “I mean, I knew she was a werewolf,” he whispered the last word, as if there wasn’t four other werewolves around that couldn’t hear him right now. “And well...”

“Cut to the chase Philip,” Derek said.

“I work full time, I didn’t sign up for this, she said she’d be back in a month and it’s been almost a year. I wasn’t really down for the whole settled down lifestyle anyway...”

“Your point Philip...” Derek growled. 

“Laura and I had a baby,” Derek and Philip both looked down at the baby at their feet. She left a month after he was born. And last week he...” 

Last week was the full moon. Derek rubbed his temples. Werewolf babies couldn’t turn people, but they still weren’t easy to deal with. It had always been Derek’s job when they were kids to keep the younger kids from attacking each other during the full moon. 

“...listen I don’t want to sound like an ass, but I’m not equipped to be a single dad. I’m ESPECIALLY not equipped to be a single dad to a werewolf. Laura said if there was a problem to go to you, it’s all in the letter in the bag.” He checked his watch. “Look I have to go, good luck.” It started to click what was going on here.

“Wait,” Derek yelled out, running out to the car as Philip Lawson got into his front seat. “You’re not leaving it HERE.”

“You’re his uncle, you can handle his situation way better than I could,” The car was put in drive. “Laura would have wanted it this way. It’s all in the letter.” He began to back down the dirt road and Derek chased after him all the way to the main road, where Philip Lawson peeled out onto the road, never to be seen of again. 

“What was that about?” Boyd asked as Derek made it back to the house, they were all standing in the doorway, waiting for Derek to say something. 

“Better question,” Isaac said, noticing the carrier on the porch. “What is that?” 

“My...” Derek looked at the sleeping bundle. “Nephew?”

“Are you babysitting?” Erica asked with some amusement. 

“Not exactly...” Derek said slowly. The baby stirred in his carrier and wide green eyes opened to look at the four of them. Then he opened his mouth and started to wail. 

No, Derek was sure he was never going to have a normal day ever for the rest of his life.


	2. In Which Derek Asks for Help

Chapter Two: In Which Derek Asks for Help

“Why do we always get stuck with the lame kitchen jobs?” Scott asked as he chopped cucumbers to put in salad for dinner.

“Because the last time you and I tried to cook we nearly burned down the kitchen,” Stiles said, shredding lettuce. “And your mom still doesn’t trust me around sharp knives.” Scott and Stiles both laughed at a fond memory. Once a month, the Stilinski’s and the McCall’s got together for dinner. It had been tradition before Stiles and Scott were even born and something the boys liked to keep up because, with Scott’s new lifestyle especially, it was a time they could pretend things were back to normal. 

Scott’s phone rang in his pocket, but he didn’t answer it. “Dude,” Stiles said. “We TALKED ABOUT THIS!”

“What?” Scott looked confused. “Oh, sorry, didn’t hear it...”

“You have super hearing, how did you not...” Stiles smacked himself in the face. “What am I going to do with you McCall, seriously?” The phone rang again and Stiles reached across the counter and took the phone out of Scott’s pocket. 

“Hey!”

“Hello, Scott’s phone, Stiles speaking,” Stiles said mockingly. 

“Stiles, where’s Scott?” Derek’s voice came through the phone.

“Scott can’t come to the phone right now because he’s an idiot,” Stiles said and Scott threw a tomato at him. “I’d be happy to take a message for you Derek. Though I’m pretty sure Scott still isn’t down to join your super secret fun club.”

“Give me the phone Stiles,” Scott said, swiping at him. 

“Give him the phone Stiles,” Derek growled again. Stiles sighed. 

“What? You don’t want to talk to me?” There was another vicious growl and Stiles quickly handed the phone to Scott. 

“What’s up Derek?” 

“I um, I actually need your help with something,” Derek said and Scott’s hearing actually picked up the lack of confidence in that statement. “More so, I need your mom’s help...”

“My mom?” Scott asked. “Why?”

“Long story, are you home?”

“No, but she’s with me at Stiles’ house, we’re cooking dinner...”

“I’m on my way...”

“You’re not dying are you?” There was only the click of the phone however and Scott sighed and hung up. 

“Derek’s coming over?” Stiles asked. Scott nodded. “This’ll be fun to explain to my dad.”  
........

“So when you said you, and I quote, ‘only kinda knew the guy’, that was a lie?” Sheriff Stilinski asked the teenagers who shuffled their feet. 

“Yeah....” Stiles said. “We might know him a little better than that.”

“And he’s on his way here because..?”

“We don’t actually know,” Scott said. “He just said he needed help with something from my mom?” Sheriff Stilinski turned to look at Melissa, but she was equally shocked. 

“I don’t know him, why does he want to talk to me?” The boys shrugged. Then there was a knock at the door and Stiles jumped up to get it, but his dad stopped him. 

“I’ll get it,” he said firmly, walking to the door. Once he was gone, Melissa looked to the other two. 

“Is this a werewolf thing?” The boys shrugged. 

“Melissa!” Stiles’ dad called out. She got out of her seat and headed to the entry way, Stiles and Scott hot on her heels. When the three of them reached the entry way, Both Stiles and Scott’s jaws dropped. In the door way was Derek Hale, holding a blue diaper bag and an infant. 

“I told you it was a long story,” Derek said to Stiles and Scott who stood there gaping. “I just...he wont stop crying.” He almost looked helpless at Melissa, who switched to mom mode quickly and took the baby from Derek. 

“Did you find him somewhere?” Stiles asked. 

“No,” Derek said. “He’s uh... he’s Laura’s son.” The other three exchanged glances. “Long. Story.”

“Well come in and tell it,” The Sheriff said, holding the door open more. Derek thanked him and stepped in. Stiles was about to say something about this had to be the first time Derek used his front door, but thought better of it at the last minute. 

In the living room, Derek told them about Philip Lawson leaving his nephew on his front porch. “I’m just...not sure what to do from here.”

“When’s the last time he’s eaten?” Melissa asked. Derek shrugged. “Changed?” Another shrug. “Slept?”

“He was asleep when I got him?” Derek said. “Ms. McCall I’ve only been an uncle for maybe an hour...” 

“How old is he?” The Sheriff asked. Derek shrugged. Stiles and Scott were sitting back, silently enjoying this Derek who was confused and didn’t know what to do. It was a big change from the regular Derek who threatened to rip their throats out often. “What’s his name?” 

“I don’t know.” Derek said through gritted teeth. As the parents interrogated Derek more, (How did you get him here do you have a car seat? No Derek, driving REALLY CAREFULLY doesn’t count!) Stiles picked up the blue diaper bag and dug through it curiously until he found a folder and opened it. 

“Taylor,” Stiles said. Everyone stopped and looked at him. 

“What?” Derek asked, his voice cracking. 

“Taylor Christopher Hale,” Stiles said. “That’s what the birth certificate says. Born January 15th, 2012, so he’s only about nine months old...”

Derek reached out and took the folder from Stiles, staring confused at the birth certificate. Worry lines creased his forehead. 

“What?” Stiles asked. 

“Nothing,” Derek grunted, opening the letter from Laura that was tucked inside the folder. 

“John, do you have a car seat from when Stiles was a baby?” Melissa asked. 

“Probably in the attic,” he said. “Come on Stiles, lets go dig through some of your things, see if we can help Derek out okay?” Stiles grumbled something about hating the attic but followed his dad up the stairs. 

“What would make a man just abandon his kid like that?” Scott asked, though his voice wavered at the end of the sentence.

“It’s...he’s...Taylor,” Derek said, correcting himself, wincing at the name. “Taylor is a werewolf.” Melissa’s eyebrows shot up as she realized she was holding a werewolf baby and quickly yet gently handed him off to Scott. “Don’t worry, if he bites it wont harm you.” 

“How do you know he’s a werewolf?” Scott asked, awkwardly shifting so that baby Taylor was comfortable in his arms. 

“They start to shift near their first birthday,” Derek said. “only on the full moon, they can’t control it obviously. But um...I can’t you know, like get rid of him, because...”

“Because he’s a werewolf?” Melissa asked.

“Because he’s family,” Derek sighed, rubbing his face. Melissa patted Derek’s shoulder and went to the diaper bag, digging through it until she found what she was looking for. 

“I’ll be right back. Derek, you should probably hold Taylor, so he get’s used to you.” Scott handed the baby to a very reluctant Derek. 

“It’s weird to see you this anxious,” Scott said, “Don’t forget his head dude - I mean, like, you’re always Mr. I-know-everything.”

“Sorry, not a lot of experience with infants,” Derek said shortly.

“Don’t worry about it,” Scott said. “How hard can it be right? He’s tiny.” Just then Stiles came downstairs with a box bigger than himself and Scott jumped up to help. 

“What’s in this? Rocks?” Scott asked as they carried the box to the living room.

“Crib,” Stiles grunted. 

“He can’t sleep in the carrier?” Derek asked. 

“Dad says no,” Stiles said. “Trust me, I asked.” His father followed him down the stairs with two other boxes. 

“It’s going to actually break my heart to put a car seat in that Camero you drive Hale,” he said. “But I guess if this thing could hold Stiles still long enough to drive around, it’ll work wonders for your nephew.”

“Thank you,” Derek said sincerely. He knew he made the right decision coming to Scott and Stiles’ parents for help. 

“Also got some clothes and just some random baby stuff,” John said. “It’s not like Stiles needs it right now.”

“Oh really, cause I was thinking if I worked really hard, I’d be able to fit in that Barney onesie by Christmas,” Stiles deadpanned. John smacked him on the back of the head. “Ow!”

“Alright, here,” Melissa came back carrying a bottle with, what Derek presumed to be milk, inside. “I wrote instructions on how to make it and put it in the diaper bag in the folder. Now hold his head up...” she instructed Derek on how to feed Taylor, and when he did as he was told, the baby latched onto the bottle happily and drank half the bottle quickly. 

“Well there you go Derek,” Scott said, “What did I say, how hard can it be?” Both John and Melissa snorted. Derek only let out a low breath. This was all too much. He was in way over his head. 

“There’s some food and diapers in here, but you’re going to need to go to the store tomorrow,” Melissa said. She had pulled a notebook off of the coffee table and was listing things Derek needed to do, where to go, what to buy.

“You’re not still living in that house of yours are you?” Stiles’ father asked. 

“It’s almost done,” Derek said. “The whole first floor, minus the kitchen and the porch are done, and three of the bedrooms upstairs are built except for paint,” which was only because Boyd and Isaac, who were sharing a room until Derek could finish the other two, refused to agree on paint colors and Erica was being overly and unhelpfully helpful, insisting on helping bring a “woman’s touch” to the place. “It was cleared last week actually.” And just in time, because then the full moon happened and Isaac and Derek both nearly took out the stairs when fighting.

Melissa handed Derek the list. It was three notebook pages long! Front and Back! “Not a lot of work Scott?” Derek asked, waving the list in front of them. 

“I put John’s and mine’s cell numbers on there as well,” Melissa said. “Just in case.”

“Thank you,” Derek said. 

“Call Melissa first,” John said, and Melissa punched him in the side. “Ow!”

Derek looked down at his nephew, so small and helpless. Did he know what kind of trouble he just landed himself in the middle of? Did he know that Derek had absolutely NO CLUE what he was doing? It wasn’t Taylor’s fault of course, Derek was pretty sure he had solid evidence to blame Laura.

But geez, did she have to go and give him THAT NAME?


	3. In Which Stiles Shares His Bed

Erica was lying in her room, eyes wide as she stared at her ceiling, claws gripping into the mattress. Okay yes, she understood that Bbay Taylor was now living in the house and she even understood that Derek was flying by the seat of his pants and didn’t know entirely what he was doing. She accepted that. 

But for god’s sake it was three in the morning and that damn thing was crying still!

Boyd was lucky. Boyd had a home and parents that he could go to, sleep in his bedroom when things got bad around here. Erica rolled out of her bed and padded down the hall to Isaac’s room. 

“I?” Erica knocked. 

“I’m going to kill it,” Isaac said, his head buried under several pillows. “Why is he crying?” 

“I think he’s just scared,” Erica said. She walked in and sat on Isaac’s bed. 

“I think I’m going to go and sleep over at Boyd’s, wanna come?” Isaac said defeated. At least he tired to make it through a night of Taylor’s wailing. 

“No, Boyd’s parents don’t particularly like me all that much,” Erica said. “I’ll figure something out, you go ahead.” 

“If you’re sure,” Isaac said, Erica nodded and then got up, leaving him to get dressed. 

They both snuck out of the house, not terribly difficult because the baby’s crying probably masked the creek of the stairs, and then parted ways at the main road. Boyd lived on the north end of the town, but Erica didn’t know anyone else out there, so she headed south. 

She shoved her hands in her pockets as she wandered onto Main Street. It was strange, seeing Beacon Hills so empty. She turned off the road and walked along the neighborhoods and found herself standing outside a familiar house. 

She listened closely. His dad must have been working the night shift, because she only heard one heartbeat. Effortlessly, she climbed up onto the roof of the first floor and found herself outside Stiles’ window. 

“Erica?” Stiles scrambled out of bed, tripping over the sheets. Erica laughed quietly as Stiles finally got to the window, opening it so she could climb in. “Is everything okay?”

“Aside from the screaming 10 month old living in the house?” Erica asked, raising an eyebrow. “Can I sleep here?” 

“Here?” Stiles asked. “Um...”

“Please Stiles? I’m going to be up all night if Taylor keeps crying and I have no where else to go,” she pouted, knowing it was still an effective move even without the cherry red lipstick. Stiles sighed and Erica knew he had given in.

“Okay okay,” Stiles said. Erica grinned and slipped off her shoes and socks, climbing into his bed. Stiles turned off the light again and crawled in next to Erica, his back to her as he tried VERY hard not to think of the exceptionally gorgeous girl in bed with him. 

Erica leaned over his shoulder. “Thank you Batman,” she said with a sweet smile, kissing his cheek before snuggling into his back and going to sleep. 

The next morning, Erica and Stiles parted ways after having breakfast. She had vague plans of some sort and asked if Stiles could drop her off at the mall. He did so and then made his way on the road that lead to the Hale House.

“Derek?” Stiles called out as he walked in the front door. He found Derek asleep in a kitchen chair, his head lolled back, snoring quietly. Taylor was asleep in his arms, but the sound of Stiles’ voice made him stir and Stiles rushed forward to sooth him back to sleep. He lifted the infant out of Derek’s arms and rocked him quietly until he was asleep again. Walking through the house, he found the crib set up in the downstairs bedroom, Derek’s room, and placed Taylor in there, thankful he stayed asleep. He went back to the kitchen where Derek was now slumped over, head on the table, but he wasn’t snoring. Stiles fumbled with the ancient tea kettle of Derek’s and set the water to boil. 

“Why do you smell like Erica?” Derek mumbled, too tired to lift his head.

“Don’t get jealous Sourwolf,” Stiles teased. “She couldn’t sleep, so she came over to my place. When did Taylor fall asleep?”

“What time is it?” Derek asked. “Also, wasn’t jealous.”

“Liar.” Stiles laughed and checked his watch. “Almost eleven.”

“Like twenty minutes ago?” Derek said with a groan. Stiles patted his head and got up to make tea, placing the mug on the table in front of Derek. “Thank you.” 

“Other than the constant crying, hey, you’ve kept him alive for a week, that’s good right?” Stiles asked. Derek grunted. “C’mon, you should at least sleep on the sofa.” Stiles helped Derek up and Derek dragged his feet down the hall, Stiles following him with the tea. Derek dropped onto the couch and Stiles sat next to him. “You need a TV,” Stiles said. 

“Read a book,” Derek grumbled and then laid his head on Stiles’ shoulder.

“You were jealous,” Stiles said as he pulled his chemistry book into his lap and opened it up to study. “A little bit?”

“Nope,” Derek chuckled. Stiles rolled his eyes and was about to say something else when Derek started to snore again. 

“Sourwolf,” Stiles teased, getting comfortable on the couch and beginning to study.


	4. In Which Derek has a Nightmare and/or a Panic Attack and/or a Mental Break Down

“What’s wrong with him?” Boyd asked as he, Isaac, Erica, and Stiles stood over Derek, who was lying on the floor of the living room, thrashing about.

“I blame the lack of sleep,” Erica said. “Speaking of, where is the little monster?”

“In the kitchen with Lydia and Allison,” Stiles said. “Scott went with Jackson to go ask for Deaton’s help.”

“Is he asleep?” Isaac asked. “Like, is he having a nightmare?”

“Either that or a mental break down,” Boyd said. “Both plausible these days.”

“We should wake him up,” Stiles said as Derek yelled out, eyes scrunched tight.

“WE?” The betas asked.

“Actually by we I meant you, since I am a mere human among the masses here...”

“I’m not doing it, no way,” Isaac said. Behind him, Boyd caught Erica’s eyes and they both raised one index finger to their nose. Stiles shook his head and caught on, doing to same. Isaac groaned.

“You can’t do ‘nose-goes’ for EVERYTHING,” but Boyd and Erica only laughed. “I hate you all.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Derek was running through a house. HIS house, and it was on fire. “Derek!” Someone was screaming. “DEREK HELP ME!”_

_“Tay?” Derek called out. There were screams, other people burning in the fire. “Taylor where are you?”_

_“Derek help!” He tore through the kitchen and up the stairs. The place was a blaze, everything he touched burned him. Up on the top floor, in the attic that was once a play room, a small boy sat in the middle of a circle carpet._

_“You said you’d help me read this when you got home from school,” the little boy said. “But you didn’t come.”_

_“Tay, the house is on fire,” Derek said, but something was stopping him from getting into the play room. “We have to go!”_

_“Why didn’t you help me big brother?” the little boy’s lip pouted. “I needed you.”_

_“I know, I’m sorry,” Derek said. “Please Taylor, come with me, lets get out.”_

_“It’s too late big brother,” the child said. Smoke filled the room and the boy started coughing._

_“Taylor, come on,” Derek tried to reach out for him, but to no luck, he couldn’t reach, he was frozen in place._

_All of the sudden, the scene changed._

_Derek was in some muck motel in New York, flipping through pages in a book he’d read a hundred times. “Are you eating three times a day?” Laura asked on the other end of the phone line._

_“Yeah Laura I’m eating,” Derek stuck his tongue out at the phone even though he knew his sister couldn’t hear him._

_“I meant eating healthy Dere,” she laughed. “So guess where I am.”_

_“Somewhere cold,” Derek said. Laura had always been a fan of cold weather and snow. When they split up, she made her way to Seattle, just for the rain._

_“Only in the winter sadly,” Laura said. “I’m in Beacon Hills.” Derek literally dropped the phone._

_“WHAT?” Derek asked, sitting up. “Why?”_

_“Weird shit has been going on here Derek,” Laura said. “I...that’s actually why I called...”_

_“I’m not going back there Laur,” Derek said. “Too many bad memories.”_

_“Oh come on Derek!” Laura sighed. “Please?”_

_“No.”_

_“Pretty please?”_

_“Has that ever worked?”_

_“We could see people we went to high school with!”_

_“I hated everyone at that school Laura.”_

_“We could visit Taylor...”_

_“...”_

_“I know that was below the belt Dere, but I need you.”_

_“I hate you,” Derek huffed. “Fine, but you can’t use him against me ever again.” This time Laura paused on the phone. “Laur?”_

_“We should probably talk about something when you get to town then.”_

_“Laura?”_

_“Talk to you soon little brother!” She made a kissing noise in the phone and it was the last time Derek ever heard from her._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isaac was about an inch from Derek, trying to figure out how to wake him, when the Alpha suddenly sat up, eyes wide, panting like he ran a marathon.

He felt like he couldn’t breath, he needed air.

Stiles grabbed the back of Isaac’s shirt and yanked him back. “Derek?” Stiles asked.

“You okay there boss?” Boyd asked, though the panicked look on Boyd’s face made him take a cautious step so that he was standing in front of Erica. Derek stood up quickly, his eyes wide still with panic and the other wondered if maybe he was still in his nightmare. Cautiously, Stiles took a step forward. He reached his hand out and touched Derek’s arm. The second he did though, Derek was bolting out the door, using all fours as he sped into the forrest.

“What the hell is that?” Isaac asked. “Should we go after him?”

“Dude I have no clue,” Boyd said. “Guy’s gone crazy.”

“Where’s Derek?” Scott asked as he ran in, followed by Deaton and Jackson.

“Just missed him,” Erica said. “Our basket-case Alpha just ran into the woods,” she gestured out the door. “I thin he’s cracked Doc.”

“He shouldn’t be out there alone,” Deaton was starting to say when Allison and Lydia walked in to see what was going on, baby Taylor sitting on Allison’s hip, playing with her earring. “Who’s that?”

“That’s the reason the pack hasn’t slept in a week,” Jackson grumbled. “If you have some sort of supernatural powder to make it -”

“Him,” Lydia corrected. “Honestly, you need to stop calling him ‘it’.”

“Him shut up, that would be awesome Doc,” Jackson finished, rolling his eyes at Lydia.

“Unfortunately, no,” Deaton chuckled. “I was more curious of who it - he - belonged to.”

“Derek,” the room of teenagers said together.

“This is Taylor, Derek’s nephew,” Allison said. The kids took turns telling their parts of the whole story to Deaton, who merely rubbed his temples.

“Alright, I think I know what’s wrong with Derek,” he said. “He’ll be fine he just needs some time. Until then, while he’s quiet and cooperative, whoever is sleep-deprived here,” Erica, Boyd, Isaac, and Jackson all raised their hands. “Go take this quiet time to nap.” The four wolves raced off to their rooms, tripping over each other on the stairs. Scott said he needed to take Allison home, and that meant Lydia too, since her car was at Allison’s. Lydia handed Taylor to Stiles.

“Call if you need us,” Scott said. “Thanks Doc, are you going to wait here for Derek?” Deaton nodded and Stiles waved good bye to his friends, suddenly alone with the Veterinarian.

“Doc?” Stiles asked slowly. “What’s wrong with Derek?” Taylor was trying to shove his fingers up Stiles’ nose, but he merely swatted the little boy away, focusing on Deaton.

“I feel like Derek should be the one to tell...”

“If I have to wait on Derek to tell I’m not going to find out for five years or something crazy long like that - No, Taylor.” Stiles pushed the baby’s hand out of his nose again. “Come on at least tell me? I’m his...”

“Yeah I know,” Deaton smiled and shook his head. “Here, sit down, I’ll tell you a little bit about the Hale siblings, okay?”

\--------------------------------------------

Derek was still panting, but he had calmed down remotely and he found himself in a clearing a mile and a half away from the house. There wasn’t much of his family left once the fire destroyed them, and so instead of taking up room at Beacon Hills Cemetery, Derek and Laura put a plaque out in the clearing for his family. He reminded himself to bring Laura’s tomb stone out here to join the rest of his family.

“Derek...” Derek sighed. He should have known.

“I’m okay,” Derek said, looking up from the marble block in the middle of the clearing to where Stiles had come through from the path where his Jeep was parked. Derek walked around the block and traced his fingers over the last name on the engraving.

“Deaton told me about Taylor,” Stiles said. “You’re brother? Why didn’t you...”

“He’d be about eleven right now,” Derek said quietly and Stiles stopped talking. “He would have been at school, but he was home sick that day.” He looked up at Stiles, but it was as if he looked right through him. “He was human, he shouldn’t have been...Kate shouldn’t have...” Derek’s hands shook and Stiles reached across the block and took Derek’s hands in his own, calming them.

“It’s not your fault Derek,” Stiles said. “You didn’t know...”

“He was MY responsibility!” Derek yelled, his eyes flashing red. Stiles fought the urge to pull away. He wasn’t going to be afraid of Derek. “He was MY responsibility. I was his older brother...” Stiles’ face fell.

“Derek...”

“Don’t you fucking say it’s not my fault,” Derek growled, his eyes flashing Red.

“I was just going to say,” Stiles said quickly. “That you shouldn’t bottle that up, and if you need someone to talk to, I’m your guy,” Stiles shrugged, hands in his pocket.

“I know Stiles, thanks,” Derek sighed, running his hands through his hair.

“Hey, what are mates for, right?” Stiles asked with a small laugh and a slightly awkward smile.

“Still wrapping your head around that I see,” Derek smirked. Just over a month ago, without any warning or romantic advances, Derek had told Stiles that the boy was his mate. They’ve been slowly building some sort of relationship since then, but Stiles wasn’t going to lie that the idea that he was going to spend the rest of his like with the Alpha didn’t freak him out some, even if he was hot.

“It’s a lot to take in!” Stiles said. Derek shoved at Stiles and Stiles shoved back. “Come on, lets get back to the house, I left Deaton with four sleep deprived werewolf pups and the baby.”

“You’re such a pack mom,” Derek teased.

“If you or Boyd call me that one more time I swear to god I’ll...” Derek only laughed again though as he followed Stiles to his Jeep and they headed up the path back to the Hale House.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't been updating, I went home for the weekend and left my external at school. Anyway, I'm glad you all are ikeing the story, I promise there is Plot coming soon, hopefully tomorrow I'll update it :)


	5. In Which The Author Remembers Where She Was Going With The Plot... (aka: In Which Greenberg is Punished)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised plot didn't I?

“I’ve seen princesses play lacrosse better than some of you!” Coach yelled during practice during a particularly hot day of lacrosse practice. Even Scott, Jackson, and Isaac, who did their best not to abuse their werewolf powers during lacrosse, felt like they were dying under the heat of the pads and the extensive work out Coach was putting them through. “Greenberg get up, does this look like kindergarten? Is anyone else participating in nap time?” 

 

“I think he’s over heated, Coach,” Danny said from the goal. He was leaning against the goal post, panting heavily. 

 

“Over - Ugh Greenberg you can’t even practice right can you? Go hit the showers,” the team helped Greenberg up and watched jealously as he made his way to the locker room. 

 

“Why is Coach trying to kill us?” Isaac asked, hands on his knees and breathing heavily.

 

“Either another show of his got cancelled or he is trying to build us up for the next big game...” Scott said. “I’m thinking the first one though.”

 

“I vote one of our glorious co-captains get us out of this practice,” Stiles said. Isaac nodded. 

 

“Not me, he only likes me some of the time, it’s all you Jacks,” Scott said. Jackson growled. “Sorry, but you literally came back from the dead, he thinks you’re a god or something...”

 

“Hey coach!” Jackson called out. 

 

“What is it Jackson?” Coach asked in a less-mean bark. 

 

“I was wondering if we could cut practice a little early today?” Jackson said, laying on the charm that always worked so well. “I mean we shouldn’t practice too hard, right, with the big game coming up on Friday, we want to be well rested right?” The coach considered him and then looked at the rest of the team.

 

“I guess you have a point, Whittemore,” Coach said. “Alright ladies, hit the showers and go home.” There were practically cheers from the team as they made their way to the locker room. Scott and Isaac were at the front of the group when they suddenly froze, and Stiles walked right into them. 

 

“What?” Stiles asked. Scott sniffed and his eyes flashed. 

 

“Blood...” he whispered and suddenly he and Isaac were running toward the boys locker room, the rest of the team too tired to chase after them. Stiles groaned as he followed closely behind. 

 

“What is this?” Isaac asked when they reached the locker room. Stiles, Scott, Isaac, Danny, and Jackson all had lockers in the front row of lockers for the boys team. When they walked in, bold red letters covered their locker doors. 

 

“You Have Been Warned,” Stiles read aloud. “Who’s is it?” Jackson and Danny had come in behind them, Jackson must have smelled the blood. 

 

“Warned?” he asked. “Probably something stupid, what did you get into Stilinski?” He asked, brushing past them to open his locker. 

 

And out fell Greenburg, beaten and bloodied, a gag in his mouth and his ankles and wrists tied. “Oh my god!” Isaac yelled, kneeling down to feel for a pulse, forgetting momentarily that he could hear the player’s heartbeat. “He’s alive, but barely.”

 

“I’ll go get coach,” Danny said, racing back down the hall. Stiles picked up the phone and dialed 9-1-1, and then his Dad, and then Derek.

 

This couldn’t be good.

\-------------------------------------------------

 

“Does this boy...” Stiles’ father sat with a file in his hand, Jackson, Scott, Danny, Isaac, and Stiles standing in front of him. Isaac still had blood in his hands and he couldn’t stop looking at it. “Anthony...”

 

“Who’s Anthony?” Jackson asked. “Wait Greenberg has a first name?”

 

“You’re an idiot,” Danny mumbled. 

 

“Yeah,” the Sheriff raised and eyebrow. “Does he have any enemies?” 

 

“Not really,” Scott said. “Unless you count Coach harping on him all the time, but he was out on the field with us.”

 

“How about any of you?” Stiles looked anywhere that wasn’t his dad. “The warning was on your lockers...”

 

“Could have been for anyone,” Isaac said. 

 

“Yeah,” Stiles added. “Our lockers are the first ones you see when you walk in.” But of course the warning was for them, who else could it have been?

 

“So none of you have ANY information for me?” The boys shook their heads. “What if I said that the attack on Greenberg looks suspiciously animal?”

 

“Was he bitten by something?” Scott asked entirely too quickly. Stiles’ father raised an eyebrow. Stiles stamped on his foot.

 

“I don’t think so,” he said suspiciously. “Alright, I don’t believe a single one of you, but I guess if you’re alright you can go, I’ll be in touch later,” Stiles sighed because later for him was when his dad drove him home. 

 

“I’m going to the hospital to check on him,” Scott said. “If anything, Mom can find something out, I’m mostly worried if it is...us related...that he’s been bitten.”

 

“Yeah and the last thing we need is fucking Greenberg in out pack,” Jackson said, Danny hit him. “What! We were all thinking it!”

 

“Derek’s outside sniffing around,” Isaac said. “I’ll probably help him for a bit, but I think your dad is watching us until we leave.”

 

“I’ll get him to go,” Stiles said. “Meet up at the Hale House then?” The others nodded. 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

“You brought a baby to a crime scene,” Isaac laughed. “Derek, seriously? You’ve got to have _some_ sort of parental common sense in there. What if the guy who attacked Greenberg was still here?”

 

“He’s not,” Derek said. “And anyway, Taylor’s fine I rolled the windows down...” Isaac smacked his face, but retold the story of what happened to them earlier. 

 

“But why this random kid?” Derek asked. “Why not go after a pack member?” Though he paled slightly at the idea, especially if the attacker had picked Danny or Stiles, who were human and therefore, more vulnerable. 

 

“He was alone?” Isaac offered. “He came back before the rest of us, tired from the heat...” Isaac shrugged. “Sure got his point across though.”

 

“Yeah...” Derek said. He was sitting on the hood of his car. There was no foreign scent he could trace, and he had given up on finding this guy early on. Now they were going to have to wait for another threat.

 

“Um Derek...” Isaac said, snapping him back to the present. “Did you leave the car alone at all?”

 

“You gotta let up with this irresponsible Uncle crap Isaac,” Derek said.

 

“Just answer me,” Isaac deadpanned. 

 

“ _No Isaac I didn’t leave the car with the_ baby inside _alone_ ,” Derek said. “Why?” Isaac lifted a hand and pointed to the rear of the car next to the passenger side where Taylor was sitting in his car seat. Derek walked over next to Isaac and then he saw it. Two red handprints, clearly blood, were on the doorframe of the car. A stripe of blood ran down Taylor’s cheek, like a finger had stroked the baby’s face. Derek growled and looked around. “Isaac I never left the car,” Derek said. “I would have heard.”

 

“Let’s just get out of here okay?” Isaac said, though he was looking around too. How could someone gotten that close to the car, to _Taylor,_ and Derek didn’t notice?

 

As the Camero drove off, a little over the speed limit, they were watched by a hooded figure in black, who chuckled darkly as she slipped her bloodied palms into the pockets of her cloak, and then vanished into thin air.


	6. In Which Jackson is Visited By a Witch While on Diaper Duty

“No,” Jackson said. He had avoided it so well over the past month Taylor had lived in the Hale House, but now he was running out of excuses. “Not fucking happening.”

 

“Jackson,” Erica stood tapping her foot by the door. “It’s your turn. Everyday someone else is responsible for it, and today that lucky bugger is you,” Jackson huffed and then Erica growled and Jackson sufficiently shut up. Something about Erica was just...terrifying. “Good boy, now go change Taylor, there’s a diagram above the changing table if you need directions.”

 

“If you pee on me, I’m locking you in a kennel,” Jackson said, holding Taylor out at arms length as he went into Derek’s room and placed Taylor on the changing table. The baby giggled and kicked his feet. “I’m dead serious dude, this is a new jacket...” Jackson unbuttoned the onsie and peeled away the diaper. “Ew! Christ, Taylor!” Jackson had to hold back from gagging as he undid the diaper and threw it in the bin. Then he took about forty baby wipes and cleaned Taylor, including his feet, legs, face, stomach, and anything else he could think of. Babies were gross.

 

It happened as Jackson tried to figure out which was the front and which was the back of the diaper. A gust of wind blew open the door to Derek’s room and Jackson jumped. Instinctively, (though he wasn’t sure what instinct it was), Jackson stood protectively in front of Taylor, his hand on his stomach to hold him still. 

 

In the doorway, a woman with long black hair that touched the floor stood, her eyes a glassy grey, clouded and terrifying. She was muttering nonsense, Jackson didn’t understand a single word, but she was pointing right at him. 

 

Defensively, Jackson crouched down and wolfed-out, he took two very cautious steps to the right, getting a better angle to pounce. The Woman’s finger didn’t follow and Jackson stood up. She wasn’t after Jackson.

 

She was after Taylor. 

 

Jackson leapt at the woman, intending to tackle her, to claw at her, bite her if he could. But she vanished into thin air and Jackson summersaulted through the door way. “What the fuck was that?” Jackson asked. He ran back into the bedroom where Taylor was laying on the changing table, still awaiting a fresh diaper. Jackson walked over to the baby and quickly threw the diaper on, not caring that it could possibly be on wrong. As he put the baby on his hip and turned to leave the room, glowing silver letters shimmered on the door where the woman had been only moments before. 

 

“You have been warned...” Jackson read out loud. It was the same message written on the lockers back at school. He looked down at Taylor who was sticking his fingers in Jackson’s ear. He remembered how the woman hadn’t looked away from Taylor, had pointed right at him as she mumbled gibberish, which, with Jackson’s luck these days, was some sort of magic spell cursing the poor thing in his arms. 

 

“Geez squirt, what kind of trouble have you been getting into?” Jackson asked as he walked up to the glowing letters. He reached out and touched the shimmering letter ‘W’ and then hissed in pain once it touched his skin. It was real silver. 

 

“Come on Taylor,” Jackson said, getting the baby out of the room. “Let’s see what Uncle Derek has to say about this...”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“What do you think,” Jackson said as Derek and Deaton checked out the warning on the wall. 

 

“Are you sure it wasn’t aimed at you?” Derek asked. “Because seriously, you’re probably more capable of getting into some sort of witch’s bad graces rather than an 11 month old...”

 

“She was pointing at the baby,” Jackson said through gritted teeth. “When I moved away, she didn’t even look at me, it’s like I wasn’t there.”

 

“Great,” Derek rubbed his temples. This was just what he needed. 

 

“Can I see him?” Deaton asked. “I want to make sure he doesn’t have a spell on him or anything.”

 

“Great!” Derek said, throwing his hands up. He walked past Jackson, bumping his shoulder as he headed to the living room. 

 

“This isn’t my fault,” Jackson said. 

 

“He knows that, he just needs someone to blame,” Deaton said, patting Jackson’s shoulder. 

 

“Why ME though!” Jackson asked, but he didn’t get an answer to that as they made their way to the other room, where Taylor was playing on the floor with Isaac. 

 

“Why you what?” Isaac asked as Taylor played with a toy train in front of him. Derek noticed that, though some of the other pack members complained about helping out with Taylor (Though in the last month, Derek never asked once for any of them to do so), Isaac never complained, and was actually really good with Taylor. Derek wondered if Isaac just had some sort of built-in paternal nature, or if his actions were based on how his father was with him before things got bad. 

 

“It’s nothing,” Derek said. “Doc needs to check out Taylor,” Isaac lifted the kid up and handed him to Deaton. 

 

“Hey buddy,” Deaton said. “This isn’t going to hurt a bit, I promise. Derek, can you get my bag out of your kitchen?”

 

“Sure,” Derek turned to walk away and suddenly Taylor let out a blood curdling shriek. “Shit Doc, I though you said this wouldn’t hurt him.”

 

“I didn’t do anything,” Deaton said, trying to control the squirming baby in his arms. Taylor was crying his arms and legs reaching out to Derek, trying to escape Deaton’s hold. 

 

“Then what’s wrong with him?” Derek asked, covering his ears as Taylor screamed again. Isaac stood up and took Taylor from the veterinarian, taking two steps and handing him to Derek. The minute Derek was holding Taylor, the baby stopped crying, curling into Derek’s side, tucking his head into Derek’s neck.

 

“Well then...” Jackson said. “I’m going to need new ear drums if that happens again...” 

 

“Separation Anxiety,” Deaton said. “Normal for most infants,” Taylor, now his normal happy self, was babbling baby-nonsense to Derek, playing with the zipper on Derek’s leather jacket. “I guess _I_ will get the bag.”

 

“So I guess you’re never leaving the house ever again? Because that screech actually would give Lydia a run for her money, no offense to your girlfriend there Jackson...” Isaac chuckled. Jackson merely shrugged. 

 

“Or you’re going to have to have Taylor with you twenty-four/seven, and I’m sure that’s going to get on our Pack Mom’s nerves eventually...”

 

“Stiles hates when you call him that,” Derek rolled his eyes but smirked. 

 

“Exactly WHY I call him that,” Jackson smirked back. 

 

“Alright,” Deaton returned, he placed the bag on the table and pulled out a small tube of red liquid.”

 

“What’s that?” Isaac asked.

 

“Fairy blood, very rare,” Deaton said. “Best used to find curses because when it mixes with magic...” Deaton pulled out some of the blood with a dropper. “It glows bright green.”

 

“Fairies, seriously?” Isaac said, but he was ignored. 

 

“You think he might be cursed?” Derek asked in concern.

 

“Dude, did you not hear the sound that just recently came out of that kid?” Jackson asked, and Derek shot him a _shut-up-now_ look. 

 

“I’m just making sure he isn’t...” Deaton said. He held out Taylor’s hand and Taylor started to squirm. 

 

“It’s okay Tay,” Derek said quietly. Deaton dropped the liquid into his palm and waited, but nothing happened. 

 

“No curse then?” Isaac asked. “Blood is still red.”

 

“No magic at all, that’s good,” Deaton wiped the blood up with a cloth that came from his bag. “Which leaves me with only one other question. What are you going to do with him next week?” 

 

“Shit, the full moon...” Derek swore. He wasn’t sure yet. The last one had gone by badly. Since the pups were still hard to control, and infant werewolf bites didn’t turn humans, Derek figured it would be safe to leave Taylor with Stiles. This proved problematic when the baby tore apart Stiles’ bedroom in minutes and Stiles trapped him under a laundry hamper until Deaton could come and rescue him. “I don’t know, I’ll figure it out...” Derek said. 

 

“I don’t normally advise this for human babies, actually I’m pretty sure you can go to jail for doing this to a human baby...but possibly a kennel?” Derek raised his eyebrow. “Just a suggestion...”

 

“Thanks Doc,” Derek rolled his eyes. Yeah right, like he was locking Taylor in a kennel all night.

 

“So wait...” Isaac stood up, holding up his hand like they were in class.

 

“What Isaac?” Derek asked.

 

“Fairies?” Derek and Deaton laughed.


	7. In Which Derek Bonds With an (almost) One Year Old

“Are you really going to put him in this?” Stiles asked as he helped Derek carry a dog kennel into the bedroom. “I’m pretty sure this counts as cruelty, like, I saw it on 20/20 once...”

 

“Do I need to point out again what he did last month on the full moon?” Derek asked. Stiles sighed. “Anyway, it’s only for a few hours, and it’s big, he’ll have room.” Stiles raised an eyebrow at him. “Shut up I don’t know what I’m doing okay!”

 

“You know that’s the first time you’ve said that in the whole two months,” Stiles pointed out as he put the kennel on the ground and then pulled blankets from the crib, putting them in the kennel. “I was beginning to wonder if you’re in denial.” 

 

“Well I don’t,” Derek sighed. “What was Laura thinking! Having a baby? Seriously?” He sat on his bed and rubbed his temples. “And then that guy, Philip Lawson or whatever? I was in a bit of a state of shock when he dropped Taylor off here like it was nothing, but now I kind of wish I could have ripped his throat out or something. Seriously, who does that to their kid?” Stiles looked over at Derek and saw him sitting there, rubbing his temples, his eyes screwed shut. He didn’t know werewolves could get headaches. He walked over to Derek and sat next to him, turning his head so he could kiss him.

 

“Hey you’re doing just fine,” Stiles said when he pulled away. “You are, really, and Taylor’s going to be okay and we’re going to find out what’s going on with the weird warnings and everything is going to be alright, okay?” Derek smiled a little, a small victory for Stiles, and leaned over to kiss him again, his hands on either side of Stiles’ face. 

 

“This is nice, why don’t we do this more ofter?” Stiles asked between kisses. 

 

“Because the kids are always causing trouble and the baby’s been crying nonstop,” Derek teased, making Stiles laugh. 

 

“I should go, full moon and all,” Stiles said reluctantly. Derek sighed and pulled away, nodding. 

 

“Yeah, Peter and Scott are with the others at the Subway Station,” Derek said. “Figured it should just be me and Taylor here. When you get home, lock your doors and don’t go out again, okay?” 

 

“Yes Dear, I know the drill by now,” Stiles said, rolling his eyes before standing up. “Have fun!” He smirked, waving as he began to leave. “Taylor be good to your Uncle Derek while I’m gone!”

 

Taylor, who was playing in his play pen in the living room, sat up and laughed loudly, mimicking Stiles’ wave as he left. 

 

The sun was going to set soon, and Derek got to work preparing himself as he always did before the moon came up. Once he was ready, and everything was in check, Derek picked up his nephew and brought him to his room, sitting him inside the dog crate. 

 

“I’m really sorry Tay, I am, I swear,” Derek said apologetically as Taylor frowned when Derek closed the door. “But I don’t know what else to do!” Taylor pressed his face up to the door, trying to get his fingers through. “Don’t look at me like that,” Derek said. This was worse than the time he yelled at Isaac and the boy hid in his room for three days. Erica had to coax him out with chocolate chip cookies. “You know, it’s not like Laura wrote a how-to guide for you, okay?” The moon rose up over the trees, the light shining into the room from the window. Derek felt his fangs try to push out, but he stayed in control and ran his tongue along his lower teeth, feeling their dullness. 

 

“To be honest, I don’t know what I’m doing most of the time even before you showed up,” Derek said to Taylor. Who was he going to tell, he was a baby, he didn’t even talk yet. “I was starting to...I think...maybe?” The light from outside flashed onto the kennel, and Derek watched as little claws popped out of Taylor’s fingernails, and the baby scratched them against the plastic siding, efficiently making a hole in the side. “No, Taylor, bad,” Derek said, pressing his hand up against the side. Small fangs popped out of his gums and he bit down on the metal bars. “No! Damnit...” Derek sighs and unlocks the kennel. Well there went that plan. “Come here, OW!” He tore his hand away as Taylor bit him. 

 

“No, biting is bad,” Derek said sternly. “No biting.” Taylor sat with him on the bed. The baby reached out and touched Derek’s mouth babbling, his hand going back and forth between his fangs and Derek’s mouth. Finally, Derek understood and held Taylor’s hands away as he let his fangs slide out. Taylor squealed and clapped his hands excitedly. Derek retracted the fangs and then, so did Taylor. 

 

“See, that was good, you don’t need those,” Derek said. He brought them out again and Taylor copied him as he retracted them back. They did the same with their claws. Taylor would laugh and squeal when he saw his uncle, and then he’d copy him. 

 

This went on for about an hour. Derek wasn’t completely unconvinced that a werewolf baby wasn’t the same as training a new puppy when he spent the better part of that hour teaching Taylor not to bite. That was the most important thing, though, since Derek wasn’t sure when Taylor’s fanged-bite would become lethal. 

 

The baby tried once more to bite but stopped himself, and Derek grinned. Well Laura hadn’t left a how-to guide, but Derek was starting to get something figured out.

 

It was closing in on midnight soon enough. Derek was kind of relieved that he wasn’t at the subway station right now, Erica was vicious on regular days, the full moon just made that even worse, and Derek was kind of relieved that he was going to wake up and not be aching for the first time in a while after a full moon.

 

Taylor crawled across the bed into Derek’s lap and up onto his chest as Derek lied against the pillows on his headboard. “Tired?” he asked, rolling his eyes when he realized he wasn’t going to get a response. Taylor pressed his face into Derek’s neck. “I’ll take that as a yes...” Derek sighed and got more comfortable on the bed. Taylor laid spread out on his chest, and Derek heard the baby’s heartbeat as Taylor fell asleep.

 

Soon enough, Derek was passed out as well.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It had become tradition, over the last year, that Lydia and Stiles would show up at Derek’s house the morning after a full moon and make breakfast. They walked into the house and Lydia went straight to work, ordering Stiles around (even though out of the two of them, Stiles was the better chef) and started setting up breakfast. “I was thinking French Toast,” Lydia said. 

 

“Good call,” Stiles said, since he brought makings for French Toast. “Make the mix? I’m going to make sure Taylor didn’t kill Derek,” Lydia laughed but nodded and Stiles headed back toward the front of the house. 

 

“Derek?” Stiles called out, knocking on his bedroom door. He opened it slowly and peeked inside. Derek was sleeping on his bed, an arm under his head and his other hand splayed protectively on Taylor’s back. The baby was snoring softly on Derek’s chest, drooling onto his shirt. Stiles smiled and was about to close the door when Derek spoke up. 

 

“I’m scared to move,” Derek said quietly and Stiles chuckled. “He fell asleep like that and I know better than to wake a sleeping baby, but I want to get up, I’ve been awake for hours...” Stiles shook his head. 

 

“Sorry man, you’re stuck there,” Stiles joked. “Hopefully the pack will save you some breakfast,” Derek frowned and Stiles laughed before turning away. 

 

“Stiles!” Derek whispered harshly. “Stiles I need your help!” He glared at the back of the door before staring at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and huffed. The door creaked open again and the bed sank as someone lied next to Derek in the bed. 

 

“You thought I was going to leave you alone,” Stiles stuck his tongue out at Derek. “Can’t wake Taylor, but I thought I could be some company.”

 

“Thanks,” Derek said, the corners of his lips twitching upwards. Stiles snuggled next to him, laying his head on Derek’s shoulder. 

 

Lydia came in a half hour later to tell them the food was ready. She knocked on the door and found it swung open. Stiles and Derek were fast asleep on the bed, Taylor snoring between them. Lydia grabbed the blanket and pulled it up over them. She could let them sleep a little longer before the rest of the pack got there. 


	8. In Which The Third Warning is Always The Most Effective

“How long?” Stiles asked as Derek pulled him in through the door and practically dragged him to his room. 

 

“Erica and Boyd took him to the store with them,” Derek said. He pressed kisses down Stiles’ neck as the boy removed his belt. “Maybe 20 more minutes?” 

 

“Isaac and Jackson?” Stiles asked, pulling off Derek’s shirt and then his own, pushing him onto the bed, straddling his waist as he teased Derek’s nipples. 

 

“Scott and Lydia, respectively,” Derek said. “Don’t expect them back until late.”

 

“Thank God for small miracles,” Stiles laughed, finally getting his jeans and Derek’s off. Their lips crashed together in a heated kiss, Stiles gripping at Derek’s hair, Derek holding Stiles’ hips tight enough to bruise.

 

They were interrupted though, by the sound of Derek’s phone ringing. “Ignore it,” Stiles said, sucking a mark onto Derek’s neck, even though it would be gone instantly. Derek pressed deny call without even looking at who was calling. He flipped them over and nipped and kissed his way down Stiles’ chest. Again, the phone rang. “Ignore it Derek...” Stiles whined, but he saw that it was Erica calling. 

 

“What if something’s wrong with Taylor?” Derek said and Stiles sighed. Derek reached over and answered the phone, looking at Stiles apologetically. “I swear to god Erica if this is about what kind of milk you have to buy...” Stiles was sitting up and nibbling on Derek’s other ear.

 

“Derek you need to get here,” There was a crash in the background and Derek pushed Stiles away, concern slipping on his face. Stiles switched to worry-mode. 

 

“What is it?” Stiles whispered. 

 

“What’s wrong?” Derek asked. 

 

“We were in the store, and the witch, she’s here, she’s screaming like a banshee and Boyd and I do’t know how to fight a witch...”

 

“We’re on our way,” both of them scrambled up, getting dressed. “Where’s Taylor?” 

 

“I have him, we’re hiding in the car, Boyd is distracting her, but Derek its insane, we’re next to the Alleyway behind the store...”

 

“We’re coming, just hold on.” They ran out to the car and jumped in, Stiles practically throwing the Jeep in drive before the doors were closed. 

 

“To be continued at a later date then?” Stiles asked, and Derek only grunted in reply.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

When they got to the alleyway and found the Camero, Erica and Taylor weren’t inside it. “Stay behind me,” Derek said. Stiles nodded and they both went into the ally. “Erica, Boyd?”

 

“Derek!” Boyd’s voice called out. The three of them came into the light. There was no sign of the witch. “She just vanished, but we’re all okay.”

 

“That’s what you think,” Stiles said. Derek rolled his eyes. 

 

“I don’t have time for your paranoia right now Stiles,” Derek said.

 

“And I don’t have time for your stupidity werewolf!” Derek raised an eyebrow and turned around. Stiles...wasn’t Stiles. He had his hands dropped to his sides, completely calm, and his eyes were a glazed over silver color. Derek backed up slowly.

 

“The witch...” Erica whispered. “Is it possessing Stiles?”

 

“And they say you can’t be pretty and smart,” Stiles/not-Stiles laughed.

 

“You let him go,” Derek growled, lifting him by the shirt collar and snarling in his face, seeing his reflection in the silver eyes. 

 

“Or what? Killing me this way will only kill your human as well,” he laughed. “I want what I came for, what was promised to me! I warned you just like I warned that bitch of a sister you had,” Derek put Stiles’ body down. 

 

“She made a deal with you?” Derek said.

 

“Blood for blood, a life for a life,” the witch echoed through Stiles. “The child is my payment, and Laura Hale’s debt is overdue.”

 

“Well you’re not getting him,” Derek said, feeling his fangs and claws slip out. A cold laugh came from Stiles. 

 

“I’m too kind,” he said. “But this is almost as fun as my reward. This is your last warning Werewolf. Bring the child to the north caves and present him to me, or I’ll be killing your pack one by one...” They watched as Stiles was lifted off the ground his feet hovering several feet. “And just so you see how I looooove to make my point...” Stiles all of the sudden threw his head back and let out the most anguished scream Derek had ever heard. He heard Erica and Boyd both whimper behind him, Taylor began to wail. They saw the witch leave his body and vanish into thin air. Stiles began to drop back to the ground and Derek rushed forward and caught him. He was unconscious, lying limp in his arms.

 

“Is he dead?” Erica cried. Derek didn’t answer. 

 

“We have to get him to Deaton’s, now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliff hanger...


	9. In Which The Pack Feeds on Emotion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is short, but I could leave y'all on that cliffhanger, poor Stiles, I just love to torture him...

Deaton looked over Stiles quietly, his supernatural case of medicines and powders set out on the desk. The pack was sent to sit in the waiting room and Derek paced back and forth, holding Taylor to his chest as he did so. 

 

“Derek, what are we going to do?” Isaac asked, worry in his eyes. 

 

“Derek, should we call his dad?” Erica asked, her phone already in her hand. 

 

“Derek, we aren’t giving in to what that witch said, are we?” Boyd asked.

 

“Derek, is Stiles going to be okay?” Everyones head snapped to look at Jackson. He shrugged. “What, he grows on you...”

 

“Guys, I don’t know okay, you all need to calm down though, you’re feeding off each other’s panic.” In his arms, Taylor was whimpering, crying quietly, and Derek could smell fear on him. “It’s okay buddy, I’m here, you’re alright...” Derek whispered. 

 

“Derek...” Erica asked quietly, her hand still holding her phone. Derek shook his head. Not yet, not until they knew for certain.

 

Stiles had no pulse when they came in, bursting through the back door and placing Stiles on the cool metal table. They had been kicked out of the room shortly after that. 

 

“Dewek,” Derek looked at the other wolves.

 

“I swear if one of you asks me one more question...” But they only blinked at him. 

 

“Dewek,” Taylor was pressing his face against Derek’s cheek, his face still damp. Derek realized it was Taylor saying his name and even in the horrible situation they were in, Derek couldn’t help but let a small smile slip on his face. 

 

“Yeah buddy, good job,” Derek said, kissing the top of his head. 

 

“Dewek,” Taylor clung to his neck, and Derek wondered if Taylor could feel how upset he was, like how the pack felt each other’s panic. Just then, the door to Deaton’s office opened and he stepped out. 

 

“Derek, a moment?” He couldn’t say right then if Stiles was okay or not? Derek nodded and turned to the pack, handing Taylor to Isaac. 

 

“Dewek!”

 

“It’s alright buddy, you stay with Isaac, okay?” Derek ruffled his hair. 

 

“Yeah, lets try saying Is-aac,” Isaac said.

 

“No, that’s too hard, try Boyd,” Boyd said.

 

“You know Erica’s your favorite...” The competition for Taylor’s second word was on and it distracted them enough so that Deaton could get Derek alone.

 

“He’s going to be okay,” Deaton said as Derek walked right past him and placed a hand on Stiles’ bare chest. “It took me a whie, I had to remove most of the magic from him the hard way. Whatever possessed him wanted to leave him in pain, he’s going to be in a lot of it over the next couple of days.”

 

“It was a witch,” Derek said. “Laura made her a deal...”

 

“Was it the one where Laura had been attacked?” Derek looked up, clearly not in the loop. “A rogue pack of betas attacked her when she didn’t agree to be their alpha, she was almost dead, and the witch saved her.”

 

“Blood for blood, life for life...” Derek mumbled. “So the witch is after Taylor?”

 

“Laura probably didn’t even know Taylor was the bargaining chip, she wasn’t pregnant when she was attacked. And then it was hard to find him again, because he didn’t show any signs of being a werewolf until a few months ago.”

 

“I’m not just bringing my nephew to be...I don’t even know what she’ll do to him!”

 

“She used magic to bring back a life that was supposed to die, it messes with the natural order of things,” Deaton said. “She needs to return a life, to even things out.”

 

“She’s going to kill him?” Derek asked, his voice cracking. Deaton nodded. Just then, the boy beneath Derek’s palm squirmed. 

 

“Derek?” Stiles whispered. Derek sighed in relief and ran his hand through Stiles’ hair. “Dude what happened. Last thing I remember was you and I were totally down for sexitimes, you know, and then BLAM, hospital, or eh well...Vet’s office...” Stiles closed his eyes. “Also, I feel like my head’s going to explode and all of my ribs are broken.”

 

“Derek gave you CPR,” Deaton said. 

 

“So all my ribs probably ARE broken,” Derek snorted and pressed his lips to Stiles’ forehead.

 

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Derek said.

 

“Me too,” Stiles looked between Derek and Deaton. “So what wild story do we have cooked up for my dad?”


	10. In Which There Are Decorations and Deaths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god I'm the worst Author ever!!! I seriously had convinced myself I finished this fic and I'm so sorry for making you wait. Thank you to those of you who stuck with me, you're wonderful.
> 
> aslo WARNING: there is a Character Death here...but it will be resolved...you'll see, just trust me, Ace fix it.

Stiles was still slightly uncomfortable two weeks later when January 15th rolled around, but the pain wasn’t going to stop him from fighting with Derek.

 

“He’s ONE Stiles,” Derek said.

 

“Exactly! How many first birthdays is this kid going to have?” Derek sighed. 

 

“He’s not going to remember it Stiles,” Derek said. “Do you remember YOUR first birthday?”

 

“No...”  Stiles mumbled. Just then, Taylor came crawling down the hall, Erica following him, a grin on her face.

 

“What’s so funny?” Derek asked as he scooped Taylor up off the ground. 

 

“Taylor still can’t say Jackson and he’s pissed,” Erica laughed. 

 

“He can totally say Jackson’s name though I’ve heard it,” Stiles said. He leaned over. “Are you doing that on purpose Tay?” Stiles teased, tickling the baby’s stomach. Taylor giggled loudly and kicked his legs. “Taylor, tell your Uncle Derek you want a birthday party.”

 

“Unca Dewek...” the rest was baby babble and Derek had to turn away from the others to keep them from seeing the smile on his face. 

 

“Derek we have to throw him a birthday party!” Erica said. “You’ll scar a kid for life if you don’t.”

 

“Fine,” Derek said, throwing his hands up. If it would get Stiles and Erica to leave him alone.

 

“Great, cause I don’t know what we would have done with the cake Lydia was bringing if you said no...” Stiles laughed, smirking when Derek glared at him. There was a knocking at the front door.

 

“Will you feed him while I go see who that is?” Derek asked, Stiles nodded and began making airplane noises to get Taylor to eat. 

 

“What is this?” Derek asked as Scott and Allison brought in balloons. 

 

“Stiles said...”

 

“But I just agreed to it like, five minutes ago!” He said, pressing his palm to his forehead. Of course Stiles would plan the birthday party and then ask Derek afterwards. His boyfriend was a conniving idiot. 

 

Balloons, Derek shook his head. His life has come down to a pack of teenagers, witches after his nephews’ soul, and balloons.

 

“He’s ONE Derek, the kid is having a birthday party whether you wanted one or not,” Lydia brought up the rear, carrying a cake. She walked right past him, her heals clicking on his floor as she headed to the kitchen. “Allison, can you help me? The boys can put up decorations.”

 

“Decorations?” Derek raised an eyebrow. 

 

“Don’t argue with Lydia,” Jackson said. “Trust me, you will loose.”

 

In an hour, there were blue streamers in the living room and Taylor was being carried around by Derek, enjoying all the attention that was being given to him. Derek still didn’t understand the purpose of a party for a one year old, but he couldn’t help but feel at ease that everyone was safe and healthy and in a good mood. 

 

He couldn’t help in the back of his mind the feeling of dread though. That the witch was coming for Taylor, and if not, she’d kill a member of Derek’s pack. Someone in this very room, and the thought made his chest clench. 

 

He was pulled out of his stupor by a hand on his shoulder. Derek blinked a couple times to see Stiles looking at him with concern. 

 

“You okay?” Stiles asked quietly, shoving a piece of cake into Derek’s hands and taking Taylor, putting the toddler on his hip. 

 

“Asks the guy with six broken ribs,” Derek snorted. Stiles rolled his eyes. “Yes I’m fine.” He lied, Stiles knew he lied, but he didn’t say anything to it and instead leaned up and kissed Derek on the cheek. 

 

“Come on Tay, you want some birthday cake?” Stiles asked, sitting on the arm of the sofa and placing Taylor on his lap. Jackson handed the kid a small piece of cake and Stiles a handful of napkins. “Say ‘thank you Jackson.’”

 

“Tay oo Jassn,” Taylor repeated, giggling when Stiles tickled his sides. Jackson lifted his hands in silent triumph making Allison and Erica laugh. 

 

And all the sudden The room was filled with purple dust Stiles coughed and held Taylor close to his chest. “Derek!” Stiles called out, but the dust filled his lungs and he coughed. Against his chest, Taylor was crying. As quickly as it happened, the dust dissipated. Stiles had his eyes clenched closed, but feeling Taylor moving in his arms was a huge relief. “Derek!”

 

“Stiles,” next to him was a breath of relief, Derek was okay. “Taylor...”

 

“He’s fine,” Stiles finally opened his eyes, handing the wailing child over to his uncle. “Scott? Allison? Everybody...”

 

“We can’t wake her up,” Allison cried and Stiles turned to see the betas huddled around a body. 

 

“Oh no,” Derek whispered. They walked over to the huddle and Derek pushed them aside to see Erica lying on the floor. 

 

“Ika,” Taylor said quietly. Lydia took Taylor while Derek checked Erica’s vitals. 

 

“Is she...” Boyd asked. 

 

“Not yet.” The group spun around to see the witch hovering in the doorway, an evil glint in her eye. “It takes some time, for life to completely leave the body, but she’s as good as,” next to him, Stiles heard Boyd whimper quietly. “I warned you Hale...” she pointed to him. Boyd launched at the Witch but she managed to vanish into thin air, and Boyd tumbled through the doorway, growling. 

 

“Derek,” Isaac said, making the Alpha turn back to the task at hand. He was holding Erica’s head in his lap. “Derek what do we do.” Derek looked down at Erica, and then over to Lydia who was bouncing Taylor on her hip to keep him from crying. He sucked in a breath and let out a sigh.

 

“Everyone get into the cars,” Derek said. “Some of you with Scott, Some of you with Jackson, I’m taking Taylor and Erica in Stiles’ car...” 

 

“What are we...” Boyd started. 

 

“Just do it,” Derek said. Everyone scrambled up immediately. “Stiles, help me with her...” together he and Stiles helped Erica into the back seat of the car. Lydia transferred the carseat to the Jeep and buckled Taylor in, giving Derek a worried look before hurrying to Jackson’s car. 

 

“You’re not...” Stiles asked when he got behind the wheel of the car. “I mean, I know things look bad right now, with Erica,” he looked at her in the rearview mirror. “But you’re not giving Taylor to that witch are you?” Derek shook his head. “Then what in gods name are we doing Derek.”

 

“Laura bargained a life but it was never specific whose...” Stiles blinked at him. “Do you trust me?” Stiles nodded. “Then drive.” 


	11. In Which Derek’s Plans Always Suck

“Alright, so we just kill the witch, right? How hard can that be?” Scott asked. Allison and Isaac looked at him from their seats in the car like he was crazy. “What?”

 

“She’s magic?” Allison offered. 

 

“And besides, if we kill her right away, we may lose Erica for good,” Isaac said. “Our goal should be to get Erica’s life back first.” 

 

“Is that possible?”Allison asked. The boys shrugged and Allison sighed, slumping in her seat. This was way over any of their heads. Hopefully Stiles and Derek were coming up with something. 

 

“So we’re just gonna leave Taylor alone in the car?” Stiles said. “What kind of plan is that?”

 

“We’ll lock the car, he’s here with Erica, he’ll be fine...” Derek said. 

 

“Erica’s dead.”

 

“MOSTLY dead,” Derek corrected. 

 

“THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR YOU TO BE SUDDENLY OPTIMISTIC DEREK HALE!” Stiles shouted. Taylor began to whimper in the back seat and Derek turned to tickle at his foot. Stiles breathed. “So you’re genius plan is to just go and say, ‘hey, crazy psycho witch lady, I know you want my nephew, but take me instead?’”

 

“Something like that,” Derek said, frowning. 

 

“Derek,” Stiles said. “Derek you’ll die.” 

 

“Better me than him,” Derek said, frowning. 

 

“But Derek...” Stiles said as he parked in the clearing. He reached out his hand and put it on Derek’s shoulder. Derek turned to look at him. “You’ll _die_.” Derek sighed and Stiles frowned, letting out a long breath and pressing his head against Derek’s. Stiles couldn’t let him do this. 

 

“So what’s the plan,” Jackson asked, looking to his right where Lydia was filing her nails. Boyd leaned in from the back seat and looked at her as well. She stopped and looked between them. 

 

“Why are you looking at me?” She asked, slipping the nail file back into her purse. “Boys, we don’t know the extent of her powers, it looks like the only way to satisfy her is someone dying, we’re carrying 3 humans, a half dozen werewolves - one of which is dying- and a baby with us, sorry that I don’t have some master plan to get us all out of this alive, I’d need prior notice.” the boys stared at her, slack jawed. Jackson almost hit a tree. 

 

“Well if Lydia can’t come up with anything...” Boyd started. “We’re all screwed.”

 

Finally, they were at the clearing at the Northern Caves. The entrance to the cave - which Stiles remembered to be dark and eerie - was glowing a deep purple color, the same as the smoke that had filled Derek’s house earlier that day. The witch was there, smiling like the cat that caught the canary. 

 

“You’ve come to bring me what’s mine?” The witch asked. 

 

“How do we kill her?” Jackson asked. Lydia shook her head. 

 

“You can’t, not without magic, which none of us have.” 

 

“Give me the child!” The witch was stalking toward them, her eyes focused on the Jeep where Taylor was squirming in his seat. Stiles stepped protectively in front of it. 

 

“Give us Erica’s life back,” Boyd said, boldly stepping forward. The witch reached in her pocket and held up a vial. Blue smoke swirled inside, sparkling in the daylight. Boyd move to take it from her but she waved a hand and he flew back, Jackson and Scott catching him. 

 

“You may have what you want when you give me what I desire in return,” the witch said. 

 

“What is that?” Isaac asked, looking over at the glowing cave. 

 

“A portal,” the witch explained. “The barrier between life and death.” She looked to Derek. “Your sister was supposed to die, she was poisoned, withering in the forest when I found her. She begged me to save her,” stepping closer to him, the witch grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him close. “To save a life you must lose one. I saved Laura Hale and I owe a debt to the beyond. I’ll never truly be free until I restore the natural order. So are you going to give me the child,” she pulled out the vial of Erica’s life instead. “Or should I just hand over the bitch’s life in his place?” Behind Derek, Boyd growled. 

 

“Take me instead,” Derek said quietly.

 

“What was that dearie?” The witch grinned wickedly. 

 

“Leave Taylor alone, take me instead,” he could hear Isaac and Scott whimper, Allison gasped. The witch laughed. 

 

“Oh how NOBLE,” she said, grabbing at his face. Derek stood very stiffly. “I hate noble. Here,” she tossed the vial to Allison. “Hold it to her lips. You, precious, you come with me.”

 

“Derek...” Derek turned and looked at his pack. They were all looking at him with wide eyes. Even Lydia - who never particularly liked Derek - seemed near tears. Stiles’ fingers were gripped onto his t-shirt, and the sadness on his face nearly killed him right there. He had never meant to hurt Stiles. But this was for the sake of his pack. It was his job to protect them and he’d do this for any of them.

 

“Stiles...” he started but the witch yanked him away before he could say anything. Stiles tried to go after him, but Scott and Allison held him back. The pack watched in shock as Derek was brought to the front of the cave. 

 

“Entiowa bolamita sarashowa...” the witch mumbled, waving her hand. 

 

“Boyd, help me with this?” Allison held up the vial and moved to the Jeep

 

“Lydia, how exactly does that work?” Jackson asked. 

 

“It’s a portal,” She said. “Think like the veil in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.” 

 

“I didn’t read them...” Jackson said. 

 

“And this is why we hate you,” Stiles snapped at him. “So the one who goes through the portal, their life is paying the debt?” Stiles asked. Lydia nodded. Stiles just stood still, watching as the purple glow began to change to a bright white. He felt Scott’s grip on his shoulder loosen, and once Scott’s hands were at his side, Stiles made his decision and ran for it.

 

“STILES!” Scott called out. The kid was fast when he wanted to be though, and he made it up to the cave just as the witch finished her spell. 

 

Derek stood there, palms sweating slightly. His heart rammed against his chest. He was scared. “Alright dearie, hop on in.” Derek blinked at her.

 

“Wh...what?” Derek said. 

 

“Go on through. You so graciously volunteered yourself, the least I could do is let you walk through yourself.”

 

“Once I do this, you won’t torment my pack or my nephew anymore?”

 

“My debt will be paid,” the witch nodded. Derek let out a shaky breath and lifted a foot, ready to step through.

 

“No!” Derek turned just in time to see Stiles running toward them. He was about to yell, to tell him to get back, but the boy ran right for the witch, pressing both his hands to her back and shoving her forward. With a shriek the witch toppled forward through the portal. Stiles lost his footing however and fell forward. Inches from the entrance of the cave, Stiles felt claws dig into his hoodie, ripping it as he was yanked back. 

 

“What did you do?” Derek asked, his arm wrapped around Stiles’ waist to keep him from falling into the portal. But as soon as the witch was through, the glow vanished, they couldn’t even hear the echoes of her screaming. “No really Stiles...what did you do?” 

 

“A life for a life,” Stiles said breathlessly, staring unblinkingly at the cave. It looked like it always had now, like magic had never touched it. Cautiously, Stiles reached out and stuck his arm into the cave. Nothing. “She saved a life and owed a different one, didn’t mean it couldn’t be her own, selfish bitch, trying to take you and Taylor away from me.” He turned in Derek’s hold and hugged him close. Running up the hill behind them were Scott, Allison, and Isaac. 

 

“What happened?” Allison asked. “Where’s the witch?”

 

“Gone,” Derek said, looking at Stiles before  turning back to the others. “She’s gone.”

 

“Erica’s waking up,” Isaac said. “She’s with the others, but she was breathing and moving before we came up.” 

 

“Come on,” Derek said, leading the way back to the cars. “Let’s get out of here.” 

 

“Oh my god we just left all of Taylor’s birthday stuff and ran out here, The ice cream is probably melted,” Stiles face-palmed, making the others laugh. 

 

Back at the house, among birthday presents and melted ice cream, Derek pulled Stiles aside from the rest of the group. “Thank you,” Derek said sincerely, hugging his mate close. 

 

“Is that a genuine, bona-fide thank you from one Derek Hale?” Stiles asked happily, an amused laugh in his voice. “To be fair, I didn’t think it would actually work...I just...I had to try something, I couldn’t lose you Derek...”

 

“I’m glad it worked,” Derek said. “Even though you almost fell in with her, I almost lost you too...” 

 

“Yeah you owe me a new hoodie,” Stiles laughed. He leaned up and kissed Derek then, putting a hand to his cheek. Derek smiled into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Stiles and pulling him in close. 

 

“Oh my god you guys there is a child here,” Boyd said, interrupting them.

 

“And by child, he means Scott,” Jackson said with a laugh. Scott flicked a piece of cake at him, but he missed and hit Lydia. Fearfully as she glared daggars into him, Scott hid behind Allison, who was holding Taylor. 

 

“Oh. My. God. Scott this is a new dress!” Lydia said.

 

“Derek you might want to come save your nephew from being in the middle of a war zone,” Erica laughed as Lydia marched across the room. Derek quickly pulled away from Stiles just enough to take Taylor and lift him up in the air, making the toddler laugh.  Seeing Derek grin at the baby made Stiles beam and he walked over to them, wrapping his arms around Derek’s waist, putting his chin on his shoulder. 

 

“Love you,” Stiles whispered, though really, what’s the point in a room full of werewolves? Taylor giggled as Stiles made a face at him. Derek looked over his shoulder and smiled at Stiles who kissed his jaw.

 

“Love you too,” he said. Taylor laughed, as if he understood the interaction at all, blowing raspberries at each of them. 


	12. Epilogue: In Which We Hit Fast-Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who stuck with me this fic, I'm sorry there was a lag in the middle of me writing it. Stick around there's lots of Sterek where this came from! And if you want to follow me on Tumblr, I'm ashabadash.tumblr.com ! See you guys soon.

 

“Dad!” Taylor stumbled clumsily off his bike, leaving it in the front yard as he hurried into the house. Over the past ten years, Derek’s name had changed a lot when it came to Taylor. It went from ‘Unka Dewek’ to ‘Uncle Derek’ and to just ‘Derek’ until a few years ago, when Taylor nervously asked his uncle if he could call him ‘Dad.’

 

“Dad Dad Dad,” Taylor ran into the back of the house where Derek was reading a book. Taylor climbed onto the couch and pulled the book away, trying to get his attention. “Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!”

 

“What?” Derek asked with an amused laugh, shaking his head at the kid. The eleven year old was practically glowing with excitement. 

 

“Dad, today we were sitting in math and Cassie Thompson broke her pencil and she turned around and ASKED ME IF SHE COULD BORROW ONE OF MINE!”

 

“Oh god,” Derek shook his head. 

 

“Dad, then she KEPT IT! Cassie Thompson IS IN OWNERSHIP OF MY PENCIL!”

 

“This is all Stiles’ doing, how you picked up any traits from him I don’t know...” Taylor laughed.

 

“This is serious business Dad,” Taylor said. “I’m pretty sure I’m in love with her.” Derek chuckled. 

 

“Aren’t you only eleven?” Derek asked, surprised at how fast time flew by. 

 

“Practically an adult,” Taylor said happily. Derek cringed. “Is Pop here I want to tell him...” Stiles because ‘Pop’ around the same time Derek became ‘Dad,’ it was a good arrangement, moving from uncles and nephew to fathers and son, and when Taylor asked Stiles if he could call him that, Stiles cried for an hour. 

 

“He’s upstairs putting your sister down for a nap,” Derek said with a smile. “I’m glad you had a good day.” 

 

“Me too,” Taylor leaned against Derek, smiling happily. The boy looked strikingly similar to his uncle, both having the same jet black hair and green eyes. Unlike Derek’s angular face though, Taylor’s was rounder and softer, like his mother’s had been. “What are you reading?”

 

“Tolstoy,” Derek said.

 

“Do I like him?” Taylor asked. 

 

“Haven’t read him to you before,” Derek said. Taylor dropped his head to Derek’s shoulder and smiled up at him. “Just a bit, you need to do homework,” Derek said, though knowing him and Taylor, they’d sit there and read until midnight. 

 

“Yes!” Taylor said happily. He snuggled closer and Derek began to read aloud from his book. 

 

A couple hours later, Stiles came downstairs with an empty baby bottle and his laptop, figuring he could get some work done while baby Laura had her nap. What he found in the living room though, was Taylor curled up on Derek’s chest, both Hale boys fast asleep, the forgotten book closed around Derek’s thumb. Stiles smiled and placed his things down before grabbing the throw blanket and wrapping them in it, taking the book and placing it on the coffee table. Derek stirred and Stiles quieted him by kissing his forehead. 

 

“Stiles?”

 

“Go back to sleep, its nap-time for the Hale family.” The arm that wasn’t pinned down by Taylor reached out and Stiles found himself being pulled down to cuddle on Derek’s other side. 

 

“Taylor has a Lydia,” Derek said sleepily.

 

“Hmm? Oh yes, Cassie Thompson, she said ‘hi’ to him in PE last week,” Stiles chuckled. “Poor kid, in for a world of heartbreak if she’s anything like Lydia.”

 

“You turned out okay,” Derek said and Stiles smiled. 

 

“Yeah, I guess you’ll do,” he teased. Derek poked him in the ribs. “Hey!” he flicked his nose. “Nap time mister.”

 

“Laura’s asleep?” 

 

“For the first time in days? Yes.”

 

“Pesky humans and their ear infections,” Derek chuckled. 

 

“One more crack about how you and Tay are the superior breeds here and I’m ordering a vegetarian pizza for us tonight.”

 

“No Papa don’t do that!” Taylor had woken up during the exchange and he was smiling at Stiles, though his eyes were wide.

 

“Well MAYBE I can be persuaded, if you tell me how your day at school went,” Stiles laughed.

 

“Oh god, here we go,” Derek said as Taylor launched into today’s episode of how Cassie Thompson stole his heart.


End file.
